ARE we sinners on here for debating?
Titus 3:9 ESV
But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.
Two points of view:
We’ve all been there, either in a bible study, on Facebook, public forums, blogs, at work, or even among friends. We’re having a conversation, discussion, or sharing something that is in our heart and in comes “a debater”. They have no interest in learning or cooperate sharing, after all they already think they know everything and they are going to ask stupid questions to evoke anticipated answers, make pointless statements, and raise fruitless issues trying to prove it. Their reflections, rejections, and interjections only goal is to take control of the conversation for the sake of drawing attention to themselves and away from truth. They’re points are nearly always ignorant, poorly researched, backless twistings of the truth, yet they are convinced that it makes them seem smart and important when it is actually doing exactly the opposite. It is doing nothing but proving them, and those that choose to fall for their ploys and join in, to be weak minded, petty, and foolish. They care not how many people they lead astray, confuse, or discourage if they can get a moments notoriety out of it. They love to debate, and God hates it.
In our opening passage we read some pretty strong words about these kinds of people. Though God loves for us to study His word, even commanding us to do so, He rejects those that love to debate it, saying that they are “subversed” which means: “twisted, perverted, corrupt”. It also says that he is a heretic, meaning “one who spreads false doctrine, does not obey scripture, and does not submit to God’s word.”
https://heartofworshipchurch.wordpress.com/2015/09/25/god-hates-debate/
Yes, it’s okay for Christians to be involved in debates. After all, we are told to defend the faith (1 Pet. 3:15), render all arguments against God useless (2 Cor. 10:5), and “…contend earnestly for the faith…” (Jude 3). In fact, Prov. 25:9, says, “Argue your case with your neighbor, and do not reveal the secret of another.” So, the Bible teaches us to defend the faith, render arguments against God useless, contend for the faith, and argue our cases with our neighbors. That is what debate is. So, yeah, it is okay for Christians to debate.
It’s worth noting that in Jude 3, the word ‘contend’ is ἐπαγωνίζομαι epagōnízomai. It means to “to exert intense effort on behalf of someth., contend.”1 So, debate is biblical, but it should not be contentious and vitriolic.
Debate is warranted as long as it is not contentious and produces unnecessary anger. I say unnecessary because sometimes people get angry even though you present the truth in the most polite manner. But, the goal is to argue politely yet thoroughly. Please consider the following.
- Col. 4:5-6, “Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. 6 Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.”
- 2 Tim. 2:24–25, “The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth.”
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